Mary Fran Reed

Mary Fran Reed, PhD, is an expert in nuclear sciences and emergency planning, with a distinguished career spanning research, teaching, and public service. Her journey into the world of nuclear science began at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, where her father’s work as a technical writer ignited her interest in the field. As a high school student, she spent several summers working as a radiochemistry technician at the same laboratory, which ignited her lifelong passion for nuclear science and the peaceful uses of atomic energy. Reed pursued her academic ambitions at the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her PhD in nuclear chemistry, specializing in nuclear reaction mechanisms. Her research contributed to the understanding of nuclear processes. Following her doctorate, Reed began her teaching career at the University of Kentucky, where she instructed students in chemistry before earning certification as a Nuclear Medicine Physicist. She went on to teach medical residents about the physics of nuclear medicine and became an active researcher, publishing and presenting work in the field. Her career took a critical turn when she returned to California to lead the state’s nuclear power plant emergency response planning program and to coordinate efforts between plant operators, local governments, and federal agencies to ensure public safety through meticulous planning and response strategies. Parallel to her professional achievements, Reed cultivated a love for sailing, which later led to an extraordinary global circumnavigation with her husband. Together, they visited over 42 countries, documenting their adventures and experiences, which inspired her book, DREAMING OF OCEAN CRUISING? Sailing off into the Sunset? What You Ought to Know!, written under a pen name. In her latest work, ATOMIC GREEN: Nuclear Power Can Stop Climate Change, Reed draws on decades of expertise to advocate for nuclear energy as an essential solution to the climate crisis. She dispels myths surrounding nuclear power and presents a compelling case for its role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, emphasizing modern advancements in safety and reactor design. Reed’s writing educates and empowers readers, making a powerful argument for nuclear energy’s role in stopping climate change and securing a sustainable future.